Automatic ctc system



Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March l2, 1959 @n mm ,mg

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HTVENTOR;V N. D. PRESTON HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March l2, 1959 INVENTOR. N. D. PRESTON HlS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March l2, 1959 Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 12, 1959 FIG. 6A.

SIDING SELECTION-AUTOMATIC START CIRCUITS WEST END EAST END INVENTOR. N. D. P RE STON HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRI-:sToN

AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed March 12, 1959 FIG. 6B.

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19 Sheets-Sheet 8 TYPICAL WEST END OF A SIDTNG FOR EAST EN D HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON 3,079,494

AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM Filed March l2, 1959 19 Sheets-Sheet 9 2-30 CNP WEA FIG. 7B. En LT f- (EXlSTING) l l L s 'w-LCP i X A) m f 70 1}5IGNAT STEPS l |19 v H SEE E* STATION H5 AW-P fj Aw-M 354 CODE H FIGGB. STE-p5 l 3,-)

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HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed March 12, 1959 Feb. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON 3,079,494

AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM Filed March 12, 1959 19 Sheetsa-Sheet 11 INVENTOR. N. D. PRESTON HIS ATTORNEY Feb; 26,'1963 N. D. PRESTON 3,079,494

AUTOMATIC cTc SYSTEM Filed March 12, 1959 19 sheets-sheet 12 FIG- IOA- MEET SEQUENCE EASTBDUND TRA|N TAKES S|D|NG Sami www 5A 5B Lm s :n-m \2TS 2B 2A 4A FIG. IOB.

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RD=RIGHT DIRECTION CLEARANCE N D LD=LEFT DIRECTION CLEARANCE BY R= REVERSE N NORMAL HIS ATTORNEY FeB. 26, 1963 N. D. PRESTON 3,079,494

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EB RD LS-SL N LS RD LS-SL R SL WB LD SL-LS R SL LD SL-LS N LS INVENTOR.

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|262 2/54 (-)TTI I 254i i 2ST SL r LS 26S 25S IJ I\ INVENTOR. ND. PRESTON HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1963 Filed March l2, 1959 FIG. |48.

N. D. PRESTON 3,079,494

AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM 19 Sheets-Sheet 1'? -I .h I 243 CONTROL OFFICE COMMUNICATION 244 7o APPARATUS I n (EXISTING) I 245# 7ISIGNAI. CONTROL I 24671I 72 I \\EAST ENO I O -SWITCH CONTROI. 247 l I ggg MEET CONTROL I #-IPASS CONTROI.

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I I I J STATIONI WI I I I r SELEC-I A l I I TION 0T I II LIH I CONTROLr 264 263 I I+I Il I 5g-IH /254 .rp-I .WI-II Il INVENTOR.

N. D. PRESTON HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, i963 Filed March l2, 1959 FIG. I5A.

N. D. PRESTON AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM IOCS IICS 19 Sheets-Sheet 18 IZCS ISGS I4CS I I I i l l L: Y E I g I l I I l 58o l l I l I I I l I l l 566 I I Jefe-a5 l J l 357 l I y 38e I I 564 I NVENTOR. N. D. PRESTON 3185 BY HIS ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 196.3 N. D. PRESTON 3,079,494

AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM Filed March l2, 1959 -19 Sheets-Sheet 19 FIG. |5B.

i P4? 2( )300 l INVENTOR.

@f3-rif; 5652; EBSQ N. D. PREsToN es l 5542;5 Hls ATTORNEY United States Patent 'O 3,079,494 AUTOMATIC CTC SYSTEM Neil D. Preston, Rochester, NX., assignor to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 798,8@ 13 Claims. (Cl. 246-5) This invention relates to systems of centralized traliic control (CTC) for the supervisory manual control of power operated track switches and signals at the ends of passing sidings on single track railroads, or analogous track layouts, and more particularly to such a system in which some of the switch and signal controls, which would ordinarily be provided manually by the operator, are automatically produced by the movement of trains themselves.

In the well-known system of centralized tralc control, commonly known as CTC, a large proportion of the train movements which are planned and executed by the operator to expedite trathc over a CTC territory, and more particularly in connection with the operation of single track railroads, require what may be termed a twostage operation. First, the operator makes an initial setting of switch position and signal clearing preparatory to the arrival of the trains making the desired movement; and second, he carries out further manipulations to complete the desired train movement as the trains come along.

In the case of a meet between two opposing trains at a passing siding, for example, the switches and signalsat the ends of the siding are initially set, prior to the arrival of the trains, for one of the trains to take the siding (switch in the reverse position), while the other continues along the main track (switch in the normal position). The desired train movement, however, cannot be completed until the initial positions of the switches and the clearing of the signals for both ends of the siding are changed, as the respective trains reach the siding and pass out of the detector track sections at the siding ends. Another train movement of a similar character, calling for Itwo-stage operation, isv where one slow train (usually a freight) is overtaken and passed at a passing siding by a following fast train (usually a passenger).

In the conventional CTC systems at present available, the operator may readily condition the switches and signals at the ends of any given siding for a meet or a pass; but this does not complete his work. He must be alert Ito changes in the indications of occupancy of detector track sections at the siding ends and take the appropriate manual action with respect to these lsiding ends promptly, in order tthat the desired train movement may be carried out with a minimum of delay. If he does not act as soon as the movement of trains into and out of the detector track sections permit supplementary manipulation, one or more of the trains are unduly delayed.

In carrying out this supplementary manipulation to complete such train movements, the operator in effect is acting merely as -a robot, which is spurred into action by operation of occupancy indication means, and which provides new switch and signal controls already determined by the nature of the train movement to be completed. In other words, no choice or judgement is involved in completing train movements of this character, such as meets or passes, and the manipulation required by the operator in the present systems may be accomplished automatically. In so doing, the movement of traiic as planned by the operator is not impaired in any way, and may in fact be expedited to the extent that automatic means can eliminate oversights, delays and errors in manipulation on the part of the operator.

In addition -to the features of automaticity just dis- 3,079,494 Patented Feb. 26, 1963 ice cussed, it is desirable to simplify and facilitate the manipulation required of an operator in his supervisory manual control of traic in a CTC installation, so that he can act more quickly, and with less change of error, to carry out his planning of train movements, thereby being able to handle larger territories, or have more free time to plan the train movements to a better advantage over the same territory.

With these and other considerations in mind, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide control facilities which will enable an operator to provide by a simple and single manual movement of a chosen control device to exercise all of the supervisory control needed for positioning the switches and clearing the signals at the ends of a passing siding for any desired train movement into or 4out of the siding or adjacent stretch of main track, either in connection with carrying out one step or stage of the operation for any kind of train movement desired, or making an initial setting for certain train movements, such as meets or passes where the move may be automatically completed by the trains themselves.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide control facilities having these land other desirable attributes, which will utilize to the best advantage the operating characteristics of the present conventional CTC systems.

Generally speaking, and without attempting to deiine the nature and scope of the present invention, -it is pro-` posed to supplement and modify the type of control devices now ordinarily used in CTC systems, more particularly in connection with those systems using code type communication to a number of distributed iield locations, so that the operators manipulation will be simplified and facilitated in a manner permitting him to handle expeditiously and with little chance of error the same volume of traiiic over more extensive CTC territory, or a larger volume of traic with less delay over the same CTC territory.

Among other things, it is proposed to employ a master control panel arrangement, in accordance with the principles disclosed in the prior application of Preston and Hitchcock, Ser. No. 536,468, tiled September 26, 1955, now Patent No. 2,914,662. Self-restoring rotary switches, one for each track switch position, are employed in accordance with the persent invention to perform the function of the stay-where-put two-position rotary switches for controlling the track switches, three-position rotary switches for controlling signal clearance, and code start push buttons of the present systems, for controlling the track switch position and signal clearing for train movement into and out of the siding or the main track at one end of a passing siding. A single movement of a selected route switch in the desired direction of traffic constitutes the complete manipulation required of the operator to make the switch and signal setting for a desired train movement at a siding end. For train movements, such as meets 'and passes, to be automatically 'completed by the trains, a single movement by the operator of a selected self-restoring switch for the desired train movement completes his manipulation in these cases. The master route switch for separate track switch and signal control at the individual siding ends, and the master automatic control switch for meets and passes on the master control panel may be allocated to control of the switches and signals for any selected siding or control area by actuation of siding selector push but- `tons respectively relating to such control locations.

In one form of the invention, the relays and circuit means conditioned by manual control for completion of a meet or pass in response to movement of the trains themselves, are all located in the control oce, and the desired automatic control is automatically consummated 

1. A CENTRALIZED TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A TRACK LAYOUT HAVING AT LEAST ONE SIDING CONNECTED AT ITS ENDS BY POWER TRACK SWITCHES TO A MAIN STRETCH OF SINGLE TRACK AND HAVING ORMALLY AT STOP SIGNALS FOR GOVERNING TRAFFIC ON THE SIDING AND ON THE MAIN TRACK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS OVER EACH OF THE TRACK SWITCHES COMPRISING: (A) A CODE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM INCLUDING A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL CONNECTING A CONTROL OFFICE AND REMOTELY SPACED FIELD STATIONS AT THE ENDS OF THE SIDING FOR THE COMMUNICATION OF SWITCH AND SIGNAL CONTROL CODES TO THE FIELD STATIONS AND FOR THE COMMUNICATION OF INDICATIONS TO THE CONTROL OFFICE, (B) A SINGLE MANUALLY OPERABLE DEVICE AT THE CONTROL OFFICE HAVING AT LEAST ONE DISTINCTIVE OPERATED POSITION FOR THE DESIGNATION OF SAID SIDING FOR THE MEETING OF TRAINS, (C) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE ACTUATION OF SAID DEVICE TO SAID DISTINCTIVE OPERATED POSITION FOR TRANSMITTING OVER SAID COMMUNICATION CHANNEL SELECTED SWITCH AND SIGNAL CONTROL CODES FOR THE FIELD STATIONS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE SIDING TO SET UP OPPOSING DIVERGING ROUTES THROUGH THE ENDS OF THE SIDING RESPECTIVELY FOR THE MEETING OF TRAINS, AND (D) CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING SAID CODE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM RESPONSIVE TO THE PASSAGE OF A TRAIN ENTIRELY INTO THE SIDING FOR ESTABLISHING A ROUTE PERMITTING PASSAGE OF AN OPPOSING TRAIN ON THE MAIN TRACK BEYOND THE PASSING SIDING. 